


Exodus

by persistent_pedantry



Series: Other Pokémon Works [3]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:40:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23109394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/persistent_pedantry/pseuds/persistent_pedantry
Summary: Dungeon crawling's always better in a team.
Series: Other Pokémon Works [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1661050





	Exodus

**Author's Note:**

> Yeehee, the introduction of Team Exodus! Whom I never did anything with! There's not much background to this one, so enjoy.
> 
> Fun fact, though: Ajax was changed to be female pretty much immediately after I wrote this, and I just never bothered to fix it.

**Team Registration Form**

Please write or print answers clearly and return to your nearest Pelipper Post Office when completed. The Exploration Team Federation will review and return your registration within three days.

**Team Name:** TEAM EXODUS

**Team Leader:**

**Affiliated Guild[s]:** NONE

** Team Members **

** [A Team may not exceed four members at any one time] **

** Member 1 **

**Name:** TYRANT

 **Gender:** M

 **Species:** TORTERRA

 **Current Rank [if applicable]:** MASTER ★

** Member 2 **

**Name:** AJAX

 **Gender:** M

 **Species:** STARAPTOR

 **Current Rank [if applicable]:** MASTER

** Member 3 **

**Name:**

**Gender:**

**Species:**

**Current Rank [if applicable]:**

Tyrant scowls at the paper, the blank third space staring through him. They could easily start an exploration team with just two members, but the norm is three and... it just ain’t right.

“Is there an issue, Tyrant?” Ajax asks quietly, stonefaced as always.

“No! Shut up!” Tyrant snaps back, “It’s just... we only got two members! It ain’t right! We need another member.”

“We discussed this. We only found two suitable applicants, the Sandslash and the Gallade. The Sandslash was insufferable and the Gallade works solo.” Ajax preens himself lazily, ruffling his wings from time to time. This has been a reoccurring issue for the team: a third member. Two’s company, while one is just your friend who tagged along.

“Well, why don’t we try ‘em again? We near the Gallade, ain’t we?” Tyrant asks, attempting to look back at the Staraptor perched on the tree sprouted on his shell.

Ajax nods solemnly. “We are. It would be rude to come to his residence unannounced, however, so we should wait in Treasure Town.”

“What, with all the small fry?” The Torterra grumbles, looking down at the paper stubbornly. “Can’t we just wait at Wigglytuff’s for the guy? I always wanted to meet that Wigglytuff feller.”

“Considering his approximate residence, he would have his jobs delivered. Rumour has it that he only takes jobs that others haven’t taken, mostly for difficulty’s sake.”

“Likes a challenge, huh?” Tyrant snorts, clumsily rolling the form up before Ajax takes over to put it away in the Torterra’s Treasure Bag.

“Compassion, I’m led to believe... and likely money. I wouldn’t even look at Zero Isle if it didn’t have the right worth.” Having neatly tucked the form away, Ajax idly pushes off into the air. He soars around for a brief time before perching on the tree’s larger branch, ruffling his feathers contentedly. “We should make our way to Treasure Town — posthaste. I’d like to get started as soon as possible.”

“Yeah, you ain’t the only one,” Tyrant replies, his steps thudding against the dirt as he begins to lumber down the path. It’s only some desolate field now, but as he makes his way down the road, Treasure Town should show itself soon enough.

━━━━━ • ஜ • ❈ • ஜ • ━━━━━

A Gallade sits on the coastal sands, resting in a meditative stance. It’s rare that he can meditate anymore; thoughts buzz and flit around his head like hives of Combee. The beach still... well, it helps, to say one thing; seeing the younger Explorers passing by to enter Beach Cave, its a pleasure rarely indulged in. Normal Ranks, Bronze Ranks, sometimes higher ones just looking to pass the time; the slow ascension into maturity is easily visible. Seeing the ranks grow and, with it, the Explorers...

“HEY! HEY, YOU!”

Julius curses under his breath, irritably looking over to the booming voice. “If it’s a job, I’m busy!” He calls back.

“IT AIN’T!”

“I’m still busy!”

The booming voice is soon coupled with heavy, thumping steps. Lumbering step by lumbering step, the thuds soon go from the hard, coarse dirt to the soft, forgiving sand. Soon enough, the voice reveals themselves: a colossal Torterra, quite large even by normal standards. Perched on the tree grown on its back is a bird — a Staraptor, seemingly only now roused from their sleep. They seem a little bedraggled.

“You Julius?” The Torterra asks, grinning in accomplishment. “We travelled a helluva way to meet you, if you are — or if you ain’t, since we still travelled!” The Torterra gives a hearty laugh, fully waking up his companion.

“His name is Tyrant,” the Staraptor begins, his voice calmer and controlled. “My name is Ajax. We are here to discuss cooperation with you.”

“Tyrant and Ajax,” Julius repeats flatly. “Tyrant... Tyrant, aren’t you the one that split a mountain?”

“The very same!” Tyrant boasts, grinning broadly again. “Cracked it in half with a single Earthquake!”

“It was more of a steep hill. He did make a noticeable fissure, however,” Ajax adds. “You’re Julius, I’ve been told? The one who takes the jobs that Wigglytuff‘s Guild can’t do?”

“That’s a broad way to put it,” Julius corrects with a small sigh. “The guild members can only do so much. Someone needs to clean up the rest, so I do whatever I can to help.”

“Still, Wigglytuff’s Guild must have incredibly difficult missions. Taking them and shrugging off praise is admirable.”

“I don’t need the high praise. It’s my job, I do my job, and I ask that people leave me alone. What do you two want, anyway?”

Ajax falls quiet for a moment.

“We got a team we’re workin’ on,” Tyrant begins, his demeanour serious. “Us two, we’ve been in the game for years. Not as long as you, but still long enough to teach the teachers. I tried settlin’ down somewhere, Ajax tried startin’ a family; both of us, we didn’t like that kinda thing. Ended up meeting each other and goin’ on high-demand missions to keep us spry—”

“And you want me to join,” Julius finishes, looking at the Torterra austerely. “Over the fifty and so years I’ve been an Explorers, I’ve only had one partner to last more than a week with me, and that was my wife.”

“‘Last’ is a strange choice of word,” Ajax notes. “Were the others discouraged? Intimidated?”

“I told them to leave,” the Gallade replies flatly. “I work on my own; I always have.”

“Well, what’s stoppin’ you from tryin’ somethin’ new?” Tyrant asks, the foliage on his back rustling as he shifts his weight. “Tell you what I think,”

“Please don’t.”

“I think you ain’t adaptable enough! You stick to yer guns, ain’t try nothin’ new; what happens if you come across some big group’s outlaws, huh?”

“I knock them out. My record is 23.”

Ajax hops down from the tree, approaching Julius with an almost concerned expression. “You’re old, Julius. We’re all old and wizened, reaching our latter years. From what I’ve heard, you’ve been living on your own for years with no-one for company. Being on your own for so long... you’ve grown bitter, Julius. Consider what your wife would say if she saw you like this.”

Julius doesn’t interrupt — but he looks two steps from clipping Ajax’s wings. “My wife is gone. I’m not joining your team.”

The avian sighs, flying back up to perch on the tree again. “Very well. You know where we’ll be, I’m sure.”

“Hey,” Tyrant adds, giving a half-grin. “Everythin’ must be easy as pie for you by now. So, maybe it ain’t power you need to be goin’ after anymore.”

Julius’ expression softens, watching the leaving Torterra and Staraptor with... woe. They’ve left him with a lot to think about. What is he fighting for anymore? Not just those he helps — what is he getting from it? What is he gaining? And his wife... Garde... Garde wouldn’t stand for his bitterness. She’d tell them that they’d join at the drop of a hat.

It’s just... he’s not Garde.

But... he‘s still an Explorer.

** Member 3 **

**Name:** JULIUS

 **Gender:** M

 **Species:** GALLADE

 **Current Rank [if applicable]:** MASTER ★★★


End file.
